


Triple Drabble: Examples.

by Lanna Michaels (lannamichaels)



Category: Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold
Genre: Alternate Universe, Capital Punishment, Comment Fic, Community: fic_promptly, Filicide, Gen, Time Period: Reign of Ezar Vorbarra, Triple Drabble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-09
Updated: 2011-10-09
Packaged: 2017-10-24 11:14:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/262830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lannamichaels/pseuds/Lanna%20Michaels
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ezar nearly stops it near the end.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Triple Drabble: Examples.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [](http://avanti-90.dreamwidth.org/profile)[**avanti_90**](http://avanti-90.dreamwidth.org/) 's prompt on [](http://fic-promptly.dreamwidth.org/profile)[**fic_promptly**](http://fic-promptly.dreamwidth.org/) : _Vorkosigan, Ezar Vorbarra, I will not waste time making my enemy's death look like an accident -- I'm not accountable to anyone and my other enemies wouldn't believe it._

Ezar nearly stops it near the end. Negri comes, his face a mask, and he says, _tonight_. Ezar thinks, as he has since this began, of going to him, of having him cut down, nursed back, or merely left to die in warmth, in shelter, not _there_.

Piotr's there as a silent witness and he grasps Ezar's wrist and pulls him back, carefully, from the window. He says nothing. But Piotr lost his son to Yuri's madness and he doesn't approve of quiet assassinations. Not when there need to be examples.

One rule.

That's what they all died for.

_One rule._

Two hours before dawn, Negri comes to the door and nods once slowly, and Ezar says, "it's enough. Let him down". He can feel his armsmen looking at him. He wonders if they looked at Yuri like this. One rule, and now he kills his son openly. He sent no assassins. He doesn't need any. He is the Emperor and his word is law, and Yuri must have felt like this when the madness descended. _Why didn't someone stop me, why-_

"No. It should be witnessed," someone in the room says, and Piotr sucks in a breath loudly, and he says, "Ezar." Only that, a warning in a word, but Ezar sees Negri nod.

"After dawn," Negri acknowledges.

"Ezar," Piotr says again. Quieter. "It won't gain you any advantage."

"I have not done all this to appear weak now," Ezar says, and Piotr presses his thumbs to Ezar's cheeks, brushing tears. He leans forward, his breath against Ezar's ear.

"No one would dare," he whispers, "but they may call you mad. He's your son. You're allowed mercy."

 _You didn't stop me_ , Ezar doesn't say. It's much too late for that.

"I have no mercy for traitors," the Emperor says.


End file.
